For Small Business, One Good Bill, One Bad
There are obviously more than two bills that the Legislature is considering which would affect small business in either a positive or negative way, but
Joel Fox
August 30, 2016
Secret Ballot is a Shield of Democracy
Should AB 1494 become law allowing voters to disclose voluntarily how they voted it would reverse the protections of a secret ballot, an important tool of
Joel Fox
August 29, 2016
Backstop: The Taxpayers
Pity the poor California taxpayers. They are seen as the backstop for various government schemes that are supposed to be self-funding. The Wall Street Journal’s
Joel Fox
August 25, 2016
How the Voters Feel About Climate Change Legislation
When the greenhouse gases extension bill seemed to be stalled in the legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown’s Executive Secretary, Nancy McFadden, said that the administration would
Joel Fox
August 24, 2016
Status Quo Stands as Supreme Court Stays Out of Education Fights
The state’s teachers’ unions had a good day at the hands of the California Supreme Court yesterday but then so did the state’s taxpayers. The
Joel Fox
August 23, 2016
“Dave the Bear,” Media, and Raising Policy Issues
The headline in the San Francisco Chronicle discussing the Assembly Republicans’ effort to build awareness about lack of road and infrastructure improvements featuring a stuffed animal
Joel Fox
August 19, 2016
An Attempt to Get Public Financing of Campaigns Through the Back Door
Sen. Ben Allen’s SB 1107 wants to allow public funding of campaigns, something voters prohibited years ago. A long time acquaintance of mine, David Keating
Joel Fox
August 16, 2016
Business Rallying to Proposition 51
California’s housing crisis is a major reason members of the business community are supporting the state school construction bond, Proposition 51. Passing a statewide bond
Joel Fox
August 15, 2016
An Offer for the LAO’s 75th Anniversary It Won’t Want
Here’s my salute to celebrate the 75 years of the Legislative Analyst’s Office—I think it should be put in charge of ballot titles and summaries.
Joel Fox
August 12, 2016